When Workplace Anger Leads to Violence
Some days, the world is just plain scary, and news reports seem to validate our fears. The local headlines spout anger-based crimes on a daily basis. CNN reports that violence and crime associated with anger episodes are on the rise in urban, USA. And the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports higher rates of anger-induced violence involving government employees. Anger-motivated crimes know no boundaries. Every area has become a potential area of violence. We try to use common sense and take standard safety precautions in our daily choices, but what about our workplaces? How can a company protect their employees?…
What Does Gratitude Do for Us . . . Literally?
The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness and, in some ways, encompasses all of these meanings. Do a little research on gratitude, and you find neuroscientific proof how this emotion benefits us. When you are sincerely grateful, and practice expressing that gratitude habitually, your life can change. Recent studies by Dr. John Gottman and others show gratitude is truly beneficial in both physical and psychosocial ways. On our relationships. On marriages. On children. On work. The truth is gratitude, mindfulness, and positivity create a lifestyle we should cultivate. For good reasons .…
Five Tips on Handling the Workplace Romance
Barriers tend to intensify romance. It’s called the “Romeo and Juliet” effect. I call it frustration attraction. ~ Helen Fisher There is a name for romantic attraction to another person. It is called limerence, and it includes both obsessive thoughts and fantasies, as well as a desire to form a relationship with the object of this feeling and to have these feelings reciprocated. Limerence is the stuff of stardust, poetry, film, and many a rapture-filled refrain. However, a true office romantic relationship in which “limerence” is at work at work often leads to the annoyance of peers and superiors because…
What Does the Ruling on Temporary Workers by OSHA Mean for Manufacturers?
David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) emphasized that host employers (manufacturers) should treat temporary workers like existing employees. He said, “Temporary staffing agencies and manufacturers share control over the employee, and are therefore jointly responsible for the temporary employee’s safety and health.” The reason for the ruling is to deter manufacturers from using temporary workers in opposition to complying with OSHA acts and worker protection laws. It originated as a remembrance for those workers who died while on the job due to unsafe conditions. Both employers must comply with all relevant OSHA…
What Can an Employer Do When Illness Interferes with Work?
Part II In part one, we discussed how an employer can spot trouble, offered basic tips to manage the situation, and suggested reasons why a personal crisis, a chronic illness, or a mental illness might occur. In part two we will propose some theoretical cases to see how the referenced tips in part one might be used. In the case of a debilitating disease Suzanne’s could be counted on to be punctual, perform consistently, and troubleshoot incidents. When she noticed odd sensations in her hands and disturbances in her vision that would come and go, she shook it off. She…
Changes in the Weather Can Affect Safety
Turn around and it is already 50-some days until Thanksgiving. A big snow could happen at any time. While workers in Minnesota and Wisconsin may be experienced at handling mounds of snow, precautions are still necessary. It pays to be safe. The same precautions are necessary in the workplace. For some manufacturers, the upcoming holidays translate into the need for higher levels of productivity. You may need seasonal or contract workers to assist stepped-up production, and they may not be savvy to the best on-the-job safety practices. Nine precautions for employee safety Keep the workplace hazard free. Post signs, floor…